AIS

New Fusion of Global Datasets Advances Understanding of Vessel Identity and Activity

Novel research provides new tool to improve global fisheries oversight Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing accounts for up to $23.5 billion every year and is enabled by vessels frequently changing their name, flag State or owner. New research , led by Global Fishing Watch and published in Science Advances , uses big data processing

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AIS disabling hotspots map

Hotspots of Unseen Fishing Vessels Illuminate Areas of Concern for Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing

New study provides first global dataset examining intentional disabling of automatic identification system devices across commercial fisheries The ocean is vast and ship crews rely on several tools to navigate it safely. One of these tools is the automatic identification system, commonly referred to as AIS, which uses GPS transponders to regularly broadcast critical information,

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Global analysis shows where fishing vessels’ identification devices have been switched off

New research displays intentional disabling of automatic identification system devices to provide insights into illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity A new analysis harnesses automatic identification system, or AIS, data to provide information about global fishing activity, including illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Originally designed as a collision avoidance tool, AIS can be intentionally disabled—sometimes

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SAR layer

Emerging technology gives first ever global view of hidden vessels

Satellite radar and machine learning publicly reveal previously unseen vessel activity around the world Washington, D.C. – Global Fishing Watch has developed and publicly released the first ever global map of previously undetected dark fleets, or vessels that do not broadcast their location or appear in public monitoring systems. Powered by satellite radar imagery and

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whale shark swimming in the ocean with fish next to it

Satellite Technology Can Reveal Collision Risks for Whale Sharks

Global Fishing Watch data helps researchers link shipping traffic to whale shark fatalities The whale shark is the world’s largest fish, with adults weighing up to 5,000 pounds and reaching up to 20 meters in length. Earning the reputation of “gentle giant,” these massive creatures roam the tropical waters of the ocean, traveling long distances

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New Techniques Reveal Fishing Vessel Identities in the Dark of Night

New Global Fishing Watch technology merges nighttime images with GPS datasets to observe vessels not broadcasting their positions When the sun sets, human activity on the ocean goes on. And every night, satellites snap a picture of all the activity taking place down below, including vessels at sea. Vessels often are equipped with bright lights

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On the High Seas, Global Fishing Watch Helps Focus Law Enforcement Patrols

Annual international collaboration Operation North Pacific Guard targets illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing   For three years, Global Fishing Watch has worked with the United States Coast Guard (USCG), Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), and their partners in addressing illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the North Pacific as part of Operation

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Mapping a New World

Tony Long, Global Fishing Watch’s chief executive officer, finds cause for gravity but also hope as we look to the Decade of Ocean Science and a growing consensus that our future—and the course ahead for ocean conservation—should be powered by waves of data, shared and open to all   We wish the news were better,

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Transparent Ocean Data Can Drive Digital Innovation to Reveal Human Activity at Sea

Global Fishing Watch partners with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations in Decade of Ocean Science to bring digital innovation to fisheries monitoring Commercial fishing is vital to the food security, livelihoods and cultural identity of millions of people around the world. But the fish that sustain this industry freely swim across

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Satellite ss international space station

Technology collaboration aims to strengthen fisheries monitoring and control

New agreement will combine data and analysis from Global Fishing Watch and Vulcan Inc. to bolster fisheries transparency and enforcement Washington D.C. – Global Fishing Watch (GFW), an international nonprofit organization, has entered into a formal collaboration with Vulcan Inc., combining their vessel monitoring capabilities to enhance fisheries management and governmental efforts to combat illegal, unreported

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Transshipment Portal Shows Carrier Vessels Loitering in Waters off West Africa

Transshipment Portal Shows Carrier Vessels Loitering in Waters off West Africa

Tracking refrigerated cargo ships, commonly called reefers, can help address illegal fishing in the Gulf of Guinea Transshipment, or the transfer of fish from one vessel to another, is a vital part of the global commercial fishing industry. It touches a wide variety of seafood products, from bigeye and skipjack tuna all the way to

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Mediterranean Sea International Space Station Italy Europe Preview

Spotting Transshipment with an Ocean of AIS Data

Find out how Global Fishing Watch’s carrier vessel portal promotes ocean sustainability by tracking transshipment with the help of AIS data This article was produced and first published by our data partner, Spire Global. Global Fishing Watch created a new tool using Spire Global’s AIS data to shine a light on transshipment—a critical process of high seas

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